Polo season returns to Aiken in a few months with some changes in tow.
Whitney Field, the main place to see polo, was completely resurfaced last summer with new grass. The field will be ready for action in April.
This new playing surface "will result in faster games and a more exciting polo experience," according to the Aiken Polo Club.
There will also be double header games each Sunday. To fit everything in, the Sunday start time has been moved up.
The first game will be at 2 p.m. and the second game will follow, at 3:30 p.m., giving attendees more than three hours of action each Sunday. The Aiken Polo Club said there will also be entertainment between games to add to the experience.
The pavilion will have extended food and bar service, with catered food served between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. The bar, provided by The Willcox, will be open from 2 until 5 p.m.
These improvements come at a cost, and the polo club's social membership and parking rates have gone up for this season.
A parking spot membership, which includes two passes to the pavilion each Sunday, is now $700 per season, or $1,400 for the year.
A social membership, which includes one pass each Sunday in the pavilion, comes at $500 per season or $1,000 for the year.
A standalone Sunday pavilion pass is $75.
"... We hope that those who are unable to commit to a full season will still join us for special Sundays on Whitney Field," stated the polo club.